Reseed Sunday, June 15, 2008
Al Giordano has moved The Field to greener pastures, where it will be untainted by the censorship and cowardice of mainstream political hacks. I couldn't be more pleased.
A fallow Field will now feature Dem Party careerist Tracy Russo's safe views. (Safe, that is, for the status quo.) Several weeks back, Ms. Russo's work was moved off the Field and into isolation on the aptly titled "Back Forty" to protect her from further embarrassment brought on by unavoidable comparisons between her weak efforts and Giordano's sharp insights. Almost no one wasted the energy it took to click over to continue to read her pap.
The original host of the Field, Rural Votes, has failed to post anything about the cataclysmic turn of events on the blog that Al made into the biggest success story of online punditry in the 2008 election cycle. Within days of its startup, tens of thousands of daily readers found the Field. Among those readers was every other credible commentator on this year's presidential race. Now Al vanishes and Rural Votes doesn't expect anyone to ask any questions? What do they think we are? Scared corporate employees hoping to hang on after a misguided shakeup? Al Giordano made the Field great and helped Rural Votes in the process. Rural Votes has responded with all the tact and ethics of a Central American death squad.
Predictably, Al's readership has followed him to his new location. The only problem that remains is making sure that Al's original hosts at ruralvotes do the right thing and cough up the
funds raised from HIS readers to send Al to Denver. They should also rename their now filleted blog. I trust they will do these things as a matter of good faith and not simply because the entire internet will cave in on them should they make the wrong choice.
I'll be watching.
Barry Crimmins
PS --If you appreciate Al's work, this would be a great time to make a donation to The Fund For Authentic Journalism. It funds Al's indispensable Narco News and the Narcosphere, the new host of the Field.
UPDATE: I have heard from Deb Kozikowski of Rural Votes and she says they will issue refunds to those who contributed for Al's trip to the Dem Denver Convention (those, that is, who request refunds). But that leaves many logistical problems-- Al's readers want him there. The reason the money was raised when it was, was because accommodations are very tight in Denver. Even if Al can get something else, it's likely it will cost a lot more money. So some sort of reasonable compromise needs to be reached.
At the time the funds were raised, everyone was acting in good faith. Good faith certainly should be put back to work to straighten this out and make sure Al ends up in Denver where dozens of people tried to send him.
A fallow Field will now feature Dem Party careerist Tracy Russo's safe views. (Safe, that is, for the status quo.) Several weeks back, Ms. Russo's work was moved off the Field and into isolation on the aptly titled "Back Forty" to protect her from further embarrassment brought on by unavoidable comparisons between her weak efforts and Giordano's sharp insights. Almost no one wasted the energy it took to click over to continue to read her pap.
The original host of the Field, Rural Votes, has failed to post anything about the cataclysmic turn of events on the blog that Al made into the biggest success story of online punditry in the 2008 election cycle. Within days of its startup, tens of thousands of daily readers found the Field. Among those readers was every other credible commentator on this year's presidential race. Now Al vanishes and Rural Votes doesn't expect anyone to ask any questions? What do they think we are? Scared corporate employees hoping to hang on after a misguided shakeup? Al Giordano made the Field great and helped Rural Votes in the process. Rural Votes has responded with all the tact and ethics of a Central American death squad.
Predictably, Al's readership has followed him to his new location. The only problem that remains is making sure that Al's original hosts at ruralvotes do the right thing and cough up the
funds raised from HIS readers to send Al to Denver. They should also rename their now filleted blog. I trust they will do these things as a matter of good faith and not simply because the entire internet will cave in on them should they make the wrong choice.
I'll be watching.
Barry Crimmins
PS --If you appreciate Al's work, this would be a great time to make a donation to The Fund For Authentic Journalism. It funds Al's indispensable Narco News and the Narcosphere, the new host of the Field.
UPDATE: I have heard from Deb Kozikowski of Rural Votes and she says they will issue refunds to those who contributed for Al's trip to the Dem Denver Convention (those, that is, who request refunds). But that leaves many logistical problems-- Al's readers want him there. The reason the money was raised when it was, was because accommodations are very tight in Denver. Even if Al can get something else, it's likely it will cost a lot more money. So some sort of reasonable compromise needs to be reached.
At the time the funds were raised, everyone was acting in good faith. Good faith certainly should be put back to work to straighten this out and make sure Al ends up in Denver where dozens of people tried to send him.
